Sitting Duck, Sitting Bull, Sitting Bad

For almost five years, I have believed
that sitting is the worst thing we do
to ourselves. I've been telling friends
and family how we sit most of our lucid
lives-- at breakfast, in the car, at work,
at lunch, at dinner, and in front of the TV--
and that this sitting is doing all kinds of damage.

And now it's out:
New studies show
Sitting Can Be Deadly

These studies suggest that prolonged
sitting sharply inhibits the body from
regulating glucose and fat, which could
lend knowledge to the diabetes epidemic.

They also suggest that exercise may not
really help those who sit for periods longer
than four hours.
(you can read the AP story above...)

In the last five years, I have created all my
own sub-theories, which differ from those
in the studies.

First, the studies take the sedentary angle,
meaning, they focus on the fact that while
sitting, the body is stationary. Although this
is true, my focus is on blockage, meaning,
that while sitting, blood and energy are kept
from circulating smoothly.

I know, I sound all "hocus pocus" again;
so let's try a drill, and I'll explain more:

Sit on a hard wood chair or a hard bench.
After a few minutes, try to figure out which
butt cheek you're sitting on MORE. I promise
that you're biased toward one cheek (you mostly
likely TWIST at the waist also).

This butt-cheek-bias is called imbalance.
It is a very bad habit that goes unnoticed.
Like your bias to one leg while standing,
your butt-cheek-bias is causing muscular-
stabilization zig-zag up your spine and
uneven stiffening of your hips. These in turn
cause impedance of visceral production and
blood flow through the joints.
THIS IS BLOCKAGE.

In other terms, it causes one hip to degrade
faster than the other, one knee to degrade
faster than the other, etc. When you finally
stand up from a sitting, your body clenches
unevenly, and though you stand erect,
you're crooked as hell.

FIGHT BACK !
To combat this self-mutilation, you must
figure out to which butt cheek you bias and
to which leg you bias when standing. Now,
reverse it ! Try sitting on the other butt check,
and standing on the other leg (always bend
your knees a little). TRY TO MAKE THIS
NEW BIAS A HABIT WHEN YOU SIT
AND STAND.

Next, every time you can, practice
The Greatest Exercise In The World
THIS WILL MOBILIZE AND STRETCH
YOUR HIPS AND WAIST.

The Tenets of Tai Chi say "if you have
areas where you cannot find opportunity,
your sickness is to be found in the hips
and waist."

My teachers father, Fu Wing Fay, said,
"Little is it realized that the human body
has a network of passages (through which
our vital energy circulates) which is like
streams and rivulets running into large
rivers. When the streams, rivulets and
rivers are not in any way blocked and
water runs naturally from its distant source
far and wide along these waterways, then
you will gain incomparable strength. The
network of passages in our bodies (called
Jing Luo) is just like that. If there's nothing
to cause a blockage, then our blood and
chi will naturally flow to all parts of the body,
and wherever you intend, your chi will follow.
If you continue to practice for a long time
every day, you will receive this injection of
blood and chi that circulates through your
whole body without stoppage or stagnation
at any time; your real chi will become abundant.
Naturally, illnesses cannot develop, and
there's no question of your life being prolonged.
For those who have learned tai chi chuan well,
their outside appearance is as soft as cotton,
distinguished and learned. But inwardly, they
are firm and strong, and nothing can stand in their way."